


Not Again

by thraxbaby



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Anxiety Attacks, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-24
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2019-04-07 08:03:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14076495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thraxbaby/pseuds/thraxbaby
Summary: I downloaded The Arcana solely for Nadia, yet I haven't given her enough love. Here she is with apprentice #2, Lenore.





	Not Again

**Author's Note:**

> The things I come up with post-anxiety attack, huh?

Oh no.

Not again.

Lenore was getting jittery. She forced the shaking from showing in her hands, but it only made the rest of her feel restless. Her nails clacked against her wine glass and her leg bounced rapidly against the marble floor. Nadia noticed these and the sudden stiffness in her companion. 

"Are you feeling alright?" Nadia asked.

"I'm fine." Lenore answered too quickly to be genuine before downing her wine in one gulp. She reached for the bottle of wine to refill her glass, but Nadia held the bottle in place, her warm hand over Lenore's clammy ones.

"Lenore, I would appreciate if you would tell me the truth. I consider you one of my closest friends and if there is anything I can do to help you, I will do it." Nadia's ruby gaze was so sincere, it crumbled Lenore's façade of calm completely. Tears streamed from her eyes as she broke down.

"I'm not okay." She cried. Nadia soothed Lenore as best she could; smoothing back her hair, rubbing soft circles across her back, and whispering encouraging things to her. Nadia did this until Lenore's sobs became nothing but hiccups. Lenore sat with her elbows on the table, hands in her hair.

"I'm sorry." Lenore croaked. "I get like this sometimes. I try to be strong, but it just hits me out of nowhere. One second I'm fine, then the next it feels like I'm dying. I can't stop shaking and it's like the world is falling down on me." 

"There is nothing to apologize for. You cannot help it, you are not at fault." Nadia hushed. "On the contrary, you are very brave to have told me this." 

"It doesn't feel like it." Lenore sighed.

"Do you have anything to combat these feelings? What do you normally do when you have these episodes?" Nadia questioned. 

"When Asra's home, he makes me this tea. He's told me a million times how to make it, but I could never remember. When he's gone, I just drown myself in alcohol." Lenore replied. 

"I shall ask your master how to make this tea. If you feel like this again, please seek me out, no matter the hour. Will you promise me this?" Nadia asked, taking one of Lenore's hands in hers.

"I'll try." Lenore said. Nadia smiled and pressed a kiss to the apprentice's hand. A blush formed across pale cheeks, which Nadia found endearing. 

"I think it would be beneficial if we retired for the night. Would you like to stay with me tonight? Or would you prefer to be alone?" Nadia asked.

"With you? You... you wouldn't mind?" Lenore questioned. 

"If I minded, I wouldn't have asked." Nadia said. "Come, let us get ready for bed." Nadia led Lenore from the veranda to her bedchambers. They dressed down into whatever they slept in and laid in the incredibly soft bed of the Countess. 

"This might help." Nadia said, taking a small box from her side table. She turned a key protruding from the back of it a few times. Lenore was surprised to hear delicate, tinkling music playing from the box. Nadia set the box aside and pulled Lenore close, softly humming the same melody as the box. It soothed Lenore's buzzing thoughts and allowed her to drift off to sleep.


End file.
